AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NOVRITA DEBORA PASARIBU
Student Number: 034214131
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
CHRISTIAN LOVE AND DEVOTION REFLECTED BY
UNCLE TOM AS SEEN IN STOWE’S
UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NOVRITA DEBORA PASARIBU
Student Number: 034214131
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iv
But a s it is writte n: “ Eye ha s no t se e n, no r e a r he a rd , no r ha ve e nte re d into the he a rt o f ma n the thing s whic h Go d ha s p re p a re d fo r tho se who lo ve Him.”
1 Ko rintus 2:9
So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will
not fear. What can man do to me?”
Ibrani 13: 6
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to
men.
v
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Nama : Novrita Debora Pasaribu
Nomor Mahasiswa :034214131
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
CHRISTIAN LOVE AND DEVOTION REFLECTED BY UNCLE TOM AS SEEN IN STOWE’S UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada).Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustkaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 19 April 2010 Yang menyatakan
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PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN KARYA
Saya menyatakan dengan sesungguhnya bahwa skripsi yang saya tulis ini tidak memuat karya atau bagian lain kecuali yang telah disebutkan dalam kutipan dan daftar pustaka sebagai layaknya karya ilmiah.
Yogyakarta, 19 April 2010
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who has brought me into His light and saved my life. I thank you God for giving me a new life and a brand new heart, complete with the label. I know I will never come to this moment without your miracles, grace and helps.
My gratitude also goes to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S. Pd, M. Hum., who has guided me and helped me during this undergraduate thesis writing process. I thank her for the time, advises, suggestions, and ideas she gave me. Her words have inspired me to finish my writings as soon as possible. I really appreciate her helps. I would like to thank my co-advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M. Hum., for giving me her valuable advises and suggestion.
I would like to thank my mother, R. Siregar, who has always given me her patience, supports and prayer. I knew I had disappointed her in some moments of my life, but she keeps reminding me to go back and accepting me. To my father, alm. E. Pasaribu, I want to say that I love him and I am blessed to be his daughter.
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Handayani, my best friend who is always there to hug me in the darkest moment of my life, and to help me when I am in need. She is the friend indeed.
My special thank is to my lovely Palmer Simangunsong, for being my boyfriend and best friend for almost four years. I thank him for the laugh, cry, and process we have been through.
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MOTTO PAGE
………... .
iv
DEDICATION PAGE
………... .
v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
……… .
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
……… .
x
ABSTRACT
………... xii
ABSTRAK
……….
xiii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
……….. .
1
A.
Background of the Study………..
1
B.
Problem Formulation……….
3
C.
Objectives of the Study……….
4
D.
Definition of Terms………
4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW
……….. ……….
6
A.
Review of Related Studies………
6
B.
Review of Related Theories………...
9
1.
Character and characterization………. 9
2.
Christian Love………..
10
3.
Christian Devotion………...
15
C.
Theoretical Framework………..
18
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
………. 20
A.
Object of the Study………
20
B.
Approach of the Study………..
21
C.
Method of the Study………..
22
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS
……….. 25
A.
The Characteristics of Uncle Tom………...
25
1.
Patient………... 25
2.
Compassionate and Kind………..
28
3.
Faithful……….. 32
4.
Virtuous………. 40
B.
Christian Love and Christian Devotion reflected by Uncle Tom…
42
1.
Christian Love reflected by Uncle Tom………
42
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Patient characteristic………
42
b.
Christian Love reflected by Uncle Tom’s Compassionate
and Kind characteristic………
48
2.
Christian Devotion reflected by
Uncle Tom……….
49
a.
Christian Devotion reflected by Uncle Tom’s
Faithful characteristic………..
49
b.
Christian Devotion reflected by Uncle Tom’s
Virtuous characteristic……….
53
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION
………... .
56
BIBLIOGRAPHY
……… 60
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This study examines Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabin as the object of study. This study aims to discover two major Christian values, namely Christian love and Christian devotion, which are reflected by Uncle Tom as the central character in the novel. Two problems are formulated, namely what the characteristics of Uncle Tom are and how Christian love and devotion are reflected by Uncle Tom through his characteristics.
Library research is employed as the method to analyze the novel. This study uses Abrams’ theory of character, Baldick and Barnet’s theory of characterization, Lewis, Bars, and O’Collins’ theories of Christian love, Finney, Bars, and O’Collins’ theories of Christian devotion, as well as various Bible passages to support the discussion.
There are two findings as the conclusion of this study. As the first finding, Uncle Tom shows some prominent characteristics, namely patient, compassionate and kind, faithful, and virtuous. Uncle Tom’s patience can be seen from his action of enduring the hardships and the inhuman treatment as a slave without complaining or feeling negative emotion, and his statements. His compassion and kindness can be seen from his actions of helping other slaves in their works, listening to their problems and consoling them, accompanying and consoling his master and his master’s daughter, his statements, and other characters’ comments. His faithfulness to God can be seen in his routine worship, his statements about God, and another character’s comment, while his faithfulness to his masters can be seen in his loyalty to stay with his master even when he has the chance or is released, his statements, and other characters’ comments. His virtue can be seen in his hard work and honesty, and other characters’ comments about him.
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ABSTRAK
NOVRITA DEBORA PASARIBU. Christian Love and Devotion Reflected by Uncle Tom as Seen in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin
.Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra
Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2010.Penelitian ini meneliti novel Harriet Beecher Stowe yang berjudul Uncle Tom’s Cabin sebagai objek penelitian. Penelitian ini bertujuan menemukan dua nilai Kristen, yaitu kasih dan ketaatan Kristen yang dicerminkan oleh Uncle Tom sebagai karakter utama dalam novel ini. Terdapat dua permasalahan, yaitu apa sifat-sifat Uncle Tom dan bagaimana kasih dan pengabdian Kristen dicerminkan oleh Uncle Tom melalui sifat-sifatnya.
Studi pustaka digunakan sebagai metode untuk menganalisa novel. Penelitian ini memanfaatkan teori karakter susunan Abrams dan teori karakterisasi susunan Barnet dan Baldick, teori mengenai kasih Kristen susunan Lewis, Bars, dan O'Collins, teori mengenai pengabdian Kristen susunan Finney, Bars, dan O'Collins, juga berbagai bagian Alkitab untuk mendukung pembahasannya.
Ada dua kesimpulan dari penelitian ini. Kesimpulan pertama, Uncle Tom menunjukkan beberapa sifat yang menonjol, yaitu sabar, berbelaskasih dan baik, setia, dan saleh. Sifat Uncle Tom yang sabar dapat dilihat melalui tindakannya yang bertahan dalam kesulitan dan perlakuan tidak manusiawi yang diterimanya tanpa mengeluh atau merasakan emosi negatif, dan melalui pernyataan-pernyataannya. Sifatnya yang berbelaskasih dan baik dapat dilihat melalui tindakannya dalam membantu budak-budak lain dalam pekerjaan mereka, mendengarkan masalah-masalah dan menghibur mereka, menemani dan menghibur tuannya dan anak perempuan tuannya, melalui pernyataan-pernyataannya, dan melalui komentar para karakter lainnya. Pengabdiannya kepada Tuhan dapat dilihat dalam penyembahan rutinnya, pernyataan-pernyataannya tentang Tuhan, dan dalam komentar para karakter lainnya, sedangkan kesetiaannya kepada tuannya dapat dilihat dalam kesetiaannya untuk tinggal bersama tuannya, meskipun dia memiliki kesempatan atau dibebaskan, dalam pernyatan-pernyataannya, dan komentar para karakter lainnya. Sifat salehnya dapat dilihat dalam kerja keras dan kejujurannya, dan komentar para karakter lainnya.
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There are many kinds of literary works. One of them is novel. Laar and Schoonderwoerd define a novel as a work of art that introduces us into a living world which is in some parts resemble the world we live in (1963: 163). As well as the world we live in, the living world also has the society in it. So, reading a novel is like seeing the reflection of our society. It enables us to be more aware of life and reality in society since reading a novel enriches our life.
One of the elements in society is religion. Religion is used by people to have good morality and to keep order of the society. There are many religions in this world that are chosen by each person to pray and to lead his or her life as well as to hope for a bright future, but in this study the writer chooses only one religion to be discussed that is Christian.
“Christian is the most widely practiced religion in the world that reaching more or less 33% of the world religion” (www.adherents.com/ReligionsByAdherents.html). Christians practice the teaching of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Derek Neville’s article entitled The Meaning of Love states that
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In an article entitled Love Defined (by the Bible), Rich Deem says that
In fact, when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, "You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37) He then added that the second most important law was "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." Jesus said that the entire law was dependent upon these two commandments (http://www.godandscience.org/love/biblicallove.html). These statements want to convey that Lord God is the love, therefore whenever we believe in God, we are filled both with God and love. Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, through the Bible teaches the Christians to devote God and to love human beings as the values of Christianity. The love and devotion that are meant here are the unconditional love and devotion as Jesus practices.
In this study, the writer will discuss about Christian love and devotion reflected by Uncle Tom in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The writer would like to discuss this topic because the writer is interested in the character of Uncle Tom. Stowe describes Uncle Tom as a good and loyal Christian who holds and practices Christian values tightly. He always turns to Jesus whenever he needs consolation, he reads Bible, holds a prayer meeting, and even becomes a spiritual father for his friends and masters. His love and devotion toward God and other human beings are unquestionable. The love that Uncle Tom reflects is the unconditional love that Jesus himself practices. Uncle Tom gives his love to his friends, and moreover to his master, although some of them have treated him badly. In the writer’s opinion, to discuss and analyze further about Uncle Tom’s love and devotion will be challenging.
published weekly in an anti-slavery newspaper named National Era, from the summer of 1851 to the spring of 1852. Still in the year of 1852, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was firstly published as a hard cover novel (http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=16788). A free paper entitled The Effect of Uncle Tom's Cabin states that Uncle Tom’s Cabin is considered by many people as one of the most influential American works of fiction ever published. Not only because it was sold over a million copies in its first sixteen months, but also because it brought a big impact to the topic of slavery in America. Uncle Tom's Cabin did arouse anti-slavery sentiment in the North and provoke angry rebuttals in the South which was pro-slavery (http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=16788). The pros and contras about slavery between the southerner and the northerner then cause a war which is known as Civil War. The history records that when Abraham Lincoln met Mrs. Stowe he said, “So you're the little woman who wrote the book that made this Great War". Lincoln’s statement implies that the novel caused the war (http://www.answers.com/topic/uncle-tom-s-cabin-novel-7). All of these interesting facts become the writer reason to choose the novel as the object of this study.
B. Problem Formulation
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2. In what ways are Christian love and Christian devotion reflected by Uncle Tom?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study has two objectives that have to be accomplished. First, this study wants to know the characteristics of Uncle Tom as the central character in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. By knowing Uncle Tom’s character, the writer can find out what kind of person Uncle Tom is. The writer can also know Uncle Tom’s ways of thinking and behaviour. Second, this study wants to show how Christian love and devotion appears through Uncle Tom.
D. Definition of Terms
In this study, there are several important key terms used. The definitions of the terms need to be given to make a clear understanding about them and to avoid ambiguity and misinterpretation. The important key terms are defined as follows:
1. Character
According to Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms, “Character is the person presented in dramatic or narrative work, who is interpreted by reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional quality, that is expressed in what he says-the dialogue-and what he does-the action” (1981:20).
2. Christian Love
defines agape as the characteristic term used in the New Testament to designate the love of God for us and, our love for God and one another (O’Collins, 1991: 7). Baker’s Concise Dictionary of Religion defines agape as Greek word for self-giving love (1985: 18).
3. Devotion
6 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
On the undergraduate thesis entitled The Impact of Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin on the Suppression of Slavery, C. Kristomo tried to analyze how literature can be a trigger to social transformation. He was interested to analyze that possibility, since he saw the fact that a novel entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabin written by Harriet Beecher Stowe really had an impact on the anti-slavery movement in United States of America in the 1850s.
In his thesis, he tried to explain how literature and society are related to each other in a mutual relation. As a social chronicle, literature is influenced by the society, while by depicting the social reality, literature brings the readers to reality. So, it was not a surprise that Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin played an important role in the social transformation in 1850s.
…with millions of copies spread over America and Europe, it built a public opinion and touched the influential persons in the political structure. Its message supported the abolitionists that finally there was a change on slavery (Kristomo, 1997: iv).
The article entitled Martyrdom and the Unjust Society on www.cyberpat.com compares Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin with Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss. As the result, it finds that both of the works share some similarities. First, both of the novels share the same tone that is sympathy. Through the tragic life of their hero and heroine, Stowe and Eliot wished to awake their readers’ sympathy. Second, Christian theme plays significant role in Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Mill on the Floss. The main characters of the novels, Uncle Tom and Maggie Tulliver, are respectively compared to the figure of Christ. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, it is shown that Uncle Tom responses Legree’s ill treatments with Christian love and lays down his life for his friends. In The Mill on the Floss, Eliot described Maggie’s suffering and death as the promotion of the ‘salvation’ to people around her. Third, both of the works are the critics towards traditional religious system, which is presented by Stowe and Eliot through the contrast between the real religious feeling and hypocritical forms of religious sentiment through their characters. For instance, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Mrs. Shelby is described as a good Christian, but she is also a slave owner. An article on www.sparknotes.com states that Stowe considers this as hypocrisy because she believes that no Christian should be able to tolerate slavery, which denies human beings’ basic rights such as the rights to freedom. In The Mill on the Floss, Dr. Keen, who represents religious authority, can do nothing to support Maggie when the town condemns her.
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Tom’s Cabin is an evangelical faith based on conversion to Jesus Christ”. Moreover, the thesis tells that Ann Douglas in The Feminization of American Culture argues “Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a great book, not because it is a great novel, but because it is a great revival sermon, aimed directly at the conversion of its hearers” (www.maryvillecollege.edu/research/downloads/Chait.pdf).
The writer agrees with the previous comments and commentaries on Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin that the novel contains the aspect of Christianity in it. It can be seen through the plot and the characters that the novel is Stowe’s evangelism to spread Christianity among her readers. In some parts of the novel, Stowe tells the readers how Uncle Tom’s Christian love and devotion touching people around him.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer will discuss about Christian love and devotion reflected by Uncle Tom in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The previous studies above give a better understanding to the writer about the aspect of Christianity in Uncle Tom’s Cabin and about how the character of Uncle Tom is compared to the figure of Christ so that he can influence people around him. That is why the writer believes that the previous studies will help the writer in analyzing the topic.
but none of them use Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin as the object of the study. Therefore, the writer is sure that this study is different from others. B. Review of Related Theories
There are some theories that the writer will apply in this study, such as theory of character and characterization, theory of Christian love and theory of Christian devotion. These theories will support the analysis of the topic in this study.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
A character plays a big part and role in fiction. The readers may have a clear idea about the story and how the story is developed whenever the author introduce his character to the reader. The story will not be complete without the existence of character.
Abrams, in his Glossary of Literary Terms, defines a character as a person who is presented in dramatic or narrative work, provided with moral and dispositional qualities, which are expressed in what they say, for example, the dialogue, and what they do, for example, the action. Moreover, Abrams says that a character may remain ‘stable’ or unchanged in his outlook and dispositions, from the beginning to end of a work, or he may undergo a change, either through a gradual development or as a result of an extreme crisis (1981:20).
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According to Baldick in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of literary Terms, characterization is a representation of a person in narrative and dramatic works, which can be seen from the action, speech and appearance of the character (1991:34). Barnet in his book Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry and Drama, gives us the way to understand characteristics of a character.
a. What the character says: the way the character speaks will help the readers to interpret her or his characteristics.
b. What the character does: the readers can learn the attitudes or behaviours of a character from his or her action.
c. What the other characters say about the character: when a character interacts with other characters, these other characters may gives comments about the character. Such comments may reflect the characteristic of the character (Barnet, et al., 1988:229)
2. Theory of Christian Love
relation to Uncle Tom’s characteristics, while Uncle Tom himself is an ardent follower of Christianity. Therefore, it is highly relevant to discuss Christian love to examine Uncle Tom as a character.
Love is one of the fundamental concepts in Christianity. Love is even used as the foundation of the Christian religion, as shown in both the Bible and other sources. The Bible describes God Himself as the first source of love; He gave humans eternal life because His love for humans was so big, as shown in the following verses.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3: 16).
This is how God showed His love for us: He sent His only Son into the world that we might have life through him (John 4: 9).
The phrases “for God so loved the world” and “This is how God showed His love for us” above clearly indicate love as the reason why God gives humans eternal life in heaven by sending His only son, Jesus Christ. The word “Christian” itself refers to the followers of Christ, so Christianity and love is strongly related. This is supported by another Bible verse, which clearly states that God is the source of love: “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). Thus, since God already shows love towards humans, Christian people should also be able to show their love.
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truly that it is the work of the Spirit of love” (1977: 27). This statement confirms the idea about love as the foundation of Christianity. Also, Ryan explains further about love as the reason why God saves humans in his quotation below.
It is God presenting himself to man as a person, attracting man, drawing the heart of man. This action or movement of God towards us is a free gift of his love; we have no right to it, we cannot make the first step towards God and draw him to ourselves (Ryan, 1977: 45).
The base of Christian love is the two commandments that Jesus has taught to his followers. From the Bible, the first commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, while the second commandment is to love our neighbors: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31). Although the verse states “neighbour”, Kierkegaard argues that the word neighbour does not refer to its literal meaning; instead, it refers to any human being, as shown in the quotation: “the neighbour as an object of agape is any human being” (in Becker, 1992: 745). It is clear that loving all humans is a very important obligation for Christian people. This is confirmed by another Bible verse, which states that loving God, or in other words being a good Christian, would be impossible without loving other humans: “If a man boasts of loving God, while he hates his own brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4: 20).
The second commandment also retains a discreteness, in that such love is more than a mere means through which one loves God. Each person constitutes a terminal point for another’s attitudes and actions. While the order of the commandments must not be reversed, the second is “like” the first. Love of neighbor shares in the seriousness of a divine command (1992: 744).
Meanwhile, Cardenal in To Live is to Love admits the difficulty of loving others as we love ourselves as instructed in the second commandment, and also explains that this condition of loving others as we love ourselves refers to humans’ heavenly condition.
To love others as we love ourselves is a precept that is difficult to put into practice and even difficult to conceive of. What it describes is the natural condition of man when he lived in Paradise, for the paradisiacal state is man’s aboriginal natural condition (1974: 51).
Christian love also has some distinct characteristics. From the Bible, there are some verses that emphasize the importance of loving all human beings, including our enemies, as shown in the following quotations.
You have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thy enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you and insult you (Matthew 5:43-44). For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (Matthew 5:46)
This emphasis on loving our enemies, or people who treat us badly, becomes the unique characteristic of Christian love. However, Christian love also shows other characteristics. Paul, one of the apostles, listed some characteristics of love based on the teachings of Christianity in the following Bible verse.
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The idea above is also supported by other sources. Bars in Faith, Hope and Charity states “what is really distinctive of Christianity is the injunction to love all men, including our enemies, in order to be perfect like our heavenly Father” (1961: 109). Meanwhile, Becker describes that the verse of Matthew 5:46 from the Bible as the passage that instructs “a love that extends beyond relations of undemanding, safe, assured reciprocity” (1992: 745). He also explains the characteristics of Christian love, or what he calls “neighbor-love” in the quotation below.
Neighbor-love should then at least include unilateral efforts on the agent’s part to establish and enhance personal relations ... In brief, agape does not await, anticipate, or demand a response in kind, though it may compatibly desire and hope for such a response, and regard attainment as the fruitition it seeks (Becker, 1992: 745).
Henry Bars in his book entitled Faith, Hope and Charity uses the word “agape” to describe Christian love, as he says “Christian idea of love is expressed by the word agape” (1961: 107). C. S. Lewis in The Four Loves describes four kinds of love, namely eros, philia, storge, and agape (1960: 33-107). A Concise Dictionary of Theology defines agape as “the characteristic term used in the New Testament to designate the love of God for us and, our love for God and one another” (O’Collins, 1991: 7). Pieper in About Love states that agape is unconditional and unselfish love that expects nothing in return (1961: 5). An article explains about agape below.
3. Theory of Christian Devotion
Just like love, devotion is also a general concept which can be used in various conditions and can refer to many things. For, instance people can be devoted to anyone or anything, from their God, their parents, their jobs, cars, houses, appearance, money, or even their favorite sport teams. Besides the society, devotion is also taught in many religions. This study uses the term “Christian devotion” because it focuses on the concept of devotion based on the teachings and the perspective of Christianity. Christian devotion might have some similarities and differences to the concept of devotion in general or in other religions, but this study focuses on devotion based on Christian perspective, because Christian devotion is discussed in relation to Uncle Tom’s characteristics, while Uncle Tom himself is an ardent follower of Christianity.
Devotion in Christianity refers to devotion towards God, as shown in both the Bible as well as other sources. From the Bible, the base of Christian devotion is the first commandment given by Jesus Christ. The commandment can be seen in the following Bible verses.
One of the scribes heard their dispute, and, finding that he answered to the purpose, came up and ask him, Which is the first commandment of all? Jesus answered him, The first the commandments of all is, Listen, Israel; there is no God but the Lord thy God; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with the love of thy whole heart, and thy whole soul, and thy whole mind, and thy whole strength. This is the first commandment… (Mark 12:28-30).
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everything’ in their life. Nothing in this world should replace God’s position in the follower’s heart. The priority of Christian devotion should always be God first.
The idea above is also supported by other sources. O’Collins in A Concise Dictionary of Theology defines devotion in Christianity as “prayerful and effective dedication that makes believers deeply responsive to God’s will (1991: 54). Furthermore, Professor Finney also defines Christian devotion in the following quotation.
Devotion is that state of mind in which the attention is diverted from self, and self-seeking, and is directed to God; the thoughts, and purposes, and desires, and affections, and emotions, all hanging upon, and devoted to Him (http://www.gospeltruth.net/1839OE/390130_devotion.htm).
Becker in Encyclopedia of Ethics further explains that many Jews and Christians affirm that the first commandment means “God demands absolute attachment, devotion and adoration” (1992: 744). It is clear that God insists the Christian to be devoted only to Him.
God had loved His people first, and then the Christian people respond to God’s love by being devoted to Him, or in other words, by dedicating their life to God. Thus, the foundation of Christian devotion is love towards God, based on each individual’s initiative instead of just based on God’s order.
The Bible verses of Mark 12:29-30 tell Christian people to show their devotion by loving God with their whole heart, and soul, mind, and strength. Loving God is done not only through prayers or spiritual communication with God, but also through all of our activities in daily life, by always doing what He says and what pleases Him. Thus, Christian devotion requires Christian people to always do what God says and what makes God happy in their daily life.
This idea is supported by some other sources. Becker in Encyclopedia of Ethics describes the two commandments as the “part of determinate religious traditions, replete with their own beliefs and practices” (1992: 744). Bars in Faith, Hope and Charity describes “effective love of Christians for their Master” as “doing what He says” (1961:105). He also states that “the essential love to God is doing always what pleases him” (Bars, 1961:125).Jaegher in The Virtue of Love states that Christians should serve God not only at church or only through worship and prayers, but through various ways in their whole life instead, as shown in his statement: “The whole life of a good Christian, and a fortiori of a priest or a religious, should be the continual service of God. From pure love we devote ourselves to him from morning till night in a thousand ways” (1957: 75).
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(1977: 61). Developing Jaegher’s idea above, Ryan also states that devoting ourselves to God can be done in many ways; one of the ways is by doing our daily duties well, including our worldly duties.
We must understand that to do our daily duties well for God is to do great things for God. These ordinary daily duties may seem quite unspiritual to us, but if they are our duties then God asks us to do them, and this makes them spiritual. Our duties at the present moment, therefore, are very precious: they are God’s will at the present moment (Ryan, 1977: 67). As explained in the quotation above, although our worldly duties may seem unspiritual, they are actually “spiritual” and “precious” (Ryan, 1977: 67) because those duties come from God. Ryan explains that the duties “will be different for different groups of people”, but we must “do them as well as we can because we love God who asks these duties of us” (1977: 65-66). Thus, doing our worldly duties well means showing our devotion towards God.
C. Theoretical Framework
This part will explain the contributions of each theory to solve the problem formulations. In this study, the writer will use some concepts of theories, such as theory of character and characterization, theory of Christian love, and theory of Christian devotion. The theories of character and characterization help the writer to analyze and to find the understanding of the characteristics of Uncle Tom which will be the focus of the first problem formulation.
love in Christianity’s point of view and its application in life. The theory of Christian devotion is used to get the idea about devotion in Christianity’s point of view, its meaning and base. After knowing the idea of love and devotion in Christianity’s point of view, then the writer can analyze their reflection in Uncle Tom’s life, acts and personalities.
As based on the two problem formulation, the discussion will be divided into two parts. The first part of the analysis will include the description of Uncle Tom as the main character. By using the theory of character, the main character will be described as seen by another, through speech, conversation of others, reaction, mannerism and direct comment. The second part will involve the idea of love and devotion in Christianity’s point of view. After knowing the ideas, the analysis on how Uncle Tom, as the main character, reflects the idea of Christian love and Christian devotion can be done.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is a novel entitled Uncle Toms Cabin. The novel was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and was published by H. G. Bohn in 1853 when slavery still became an issue in United States. This novel tells about the struggle of a slave named Uncle Tom in facing his destiny as a slave. In this novel, through the main character named Uncle Tom, Stowe shares his ideas about slavery in America in1850s. Stowe smartly portrayed the issues that appear in United States at that time.
An article on www.utc.iath.virginia.edu argues that Uncle Tom’s Cabin is written with deep Christianity background because the author, Harriet Beecher Stowe, comes from a family with deep Christian teaching from her father who is a preacher. The novel is filled with verses from the Bible. It is found that Uncle Tom’s Cabin contains close to 100 quotations from the Bible.
The article entitled Martyrdom and the Unjust Society says that Christian theme plays a significant role in the novel. The characters like Uncle Tom and Evangeline are even described as the Christ figures (www.cyberpat.com). A thesis entitled “A Day of Grace” Evangelical Theology in Uncle Tom’s Cabin calls the novel as an evangelical Christian novel because it contains ‘sermons’ which aim is to teach Christian values to the readers (www.maryvillecollege.edu/research/downloads/Chait.pdf).
The novel of Uncle Tom’s Cabin itself has been made into a movie with the same title in 1927. Directed by Harry A Pollard and James B Lowe act as Uncle Tom (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018524/).
B. Approach of the Study
In order to find the answer of the problem formulations, the writer uses the moral-philosophical approach. Moral-philosophical approach is an old approach which teach morality and to probe philosophical issues. Guerin states this on his book entitled A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature
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Guerin also argues that moral-philosophical approach is concern about “what is taught” from literary works. For example, in the case of novel, the aspects such as character, theme, setting, plot and etc are considered as the secondary. The important thing is the moral or philosophical teaching. This is strengthened by Guerin’s statement as follow
In each instance critics working from a moral bent are not aware of form, figurative language, and other purely aesthetic
considerations, but they consider them to be secondary (1999: 26) Or on his another statement such as “The critic who employs the moral-philosophical approach insists on ascertaining and stating what is taught” (1999: 26). The novel largely teaches the morality in Christianity, that is why the moral-philosophical approach is suitable for discussing the topic.
C. Method of the Study
Library and Internet researches were used in this undergraduate thesis. There were also two kinds of sources which were used, the primary and secondary sources. The primary source was the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The secondary sources were based on the books and articles on theories and supporting arguments in the analysis.
These books were used to provide informations about the idea of love and devotion in Christianity, kinds of love, and the meaning of love and devotion in Christianity.
The theory of literature such as theory of character and characterization were largely taken from Abram’s A Glossary of Literary Terms, Kennedy’s An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama, Laar’s An Approach to English Literature, Barnet’s Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry and Drama and Baldick’s The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literature.
A Concise Dictionary of Theology by O’Collins, Baker’s Concise Dictionary of Religion which was edited by Kauffman, and Becker’s Encyclopedia of Ethics were used to find the definitions of Christian devotion and Christian love. Abram’s A Glossary of Literary Terms gave a definition of character.
Several electronics or media sources were also used in the undergraduate thesis. Those addresses were taken to provide data on comments and informations about Christian love and Christian devotion and also provide informations about the novel and the author.
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This part is divided into two parts according to the number of problems which have been formulated on chapter one. The first part will discuss about the characteristics of Uncle Tom as seen in the novel. The second part is focused on how the idea of Christian love and devotion reflected through Uncle Tom.
A. The Characteristics of Uncle Tom
Tom, usually called Uncle Tom, is a character or a person who is presented in a dramatic or narrative work, namely the novel entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabin. According to Abrams, as a character, Uncle Tom is provided with some moral and dispositional qualities (1981: 20). The writer can withdraw the description of Uncle Tom’s character as follows, which will be discussed according to Barnet’s theory of characterization.
1. Patient
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suffering without complaining. Based on Barnet’s theory, Uncle Tom’s patience can be seen from what he does and what he says.
Firstly, Uncle Tom’s patience can be seen from what he does. For example, he endures the hardships of his life as a slave without complaining. As a slave, Tom never has any freedom, dignity, or any other human rights in his whole life. He is sold and separated from his family, from one master to another. At the slave market, Uncle Tom is not treated in the proper way. His mouth is forced open so that potential buyers could inspect his teeth, and his clothes are torn so buyers could inspect his body. When he works for a man named Simon Legree, he is also treated inhumanely. Yet, Tom accepts all those treatments and obeys people’s instructions without complaining, feeling angry, rebelling, or making revenge. He considers his life condition as God’s will and he believes that God has given him a work among other slaves and his masters (1983: 427).
"Pay away, till he gives up! Give it to him!--give it to him!" shouted Legree. "I'll take every drop of blood he has, unless he confesses!"
Tom opened his eyes, and looked upon his master. "Ye poor miserable critter!" he said, "there an't no more ye can do! I forgive ye, with all my soul!" and he fainted entirely away. (1983: 446)
"O, Tom!" said Quimbo, "we's been awful wicked to ye!" "I forgive ye, with all my heart!" said Tom, faintly. (1983: 446)
Secondly, based on Barnet’s theory, Uncle Tom’s patience can be seen from what he says. It further confirms the explanation about his patient characteristic as seen from what he does. For example, Tom’s patience in enduring his hard life as a slave can be seen from his explanation to his master, a man named St. Claire. In his statement, Tom says that he actually feels very sad, but God stands by him and gives him the power to carry on. That is why he can display patience, or in other words, accept his hard life without complaining.
"O, Mas'r, when I was sold away from my old woman and the children, I was jest a'most broke up. I felt as if there warn't nothin' left; and then the good Lord, he stood by me, and he says, 'Fear not, Tom;' and he brings light and joy in a poor feller's soul,--makes all peace; and I 's so happy, and loves everybody, and feels willin' jest to be the Lord's, and have the Lord's will done, and be put jest where the Lord wants to put me. I know it couldn't come from me, cause I 's a poor, complainin' cretur; it comes from the Lord; and I know He's willin' to do for Mas'r." (1983: 325).
As another example, Tom’s patience can also be seen from his statement to Cassy, another slave who believes that God does not care about the blacks because God lets them suffer so much. Tom explains that God accompanies them in their sufferings. Thus, they should be patient, or in other words, accept their life without complaining.
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As the last example, Tom’s patience can be seen from his statement to Cassy when she and another slave plan to run away and ask Tom to join them. Uncle Tom’s statement is the most significant proof of his patience. If he is not patient with his hard life and his master’s cruel treatment, he would agree and accept Cassy’s invitation. Uncle Tom’s statement also confirms that he stays with his master not because it would be impossible for him to escape without getting punished, or because he is too scared to run away from his master, but rather because he really wants to endure his sufferings. As a proof, Tom actually refuses Cassy’s invitation to run away together with her, and explains that he will endure his life as a work given by God to him. As shown in the quotation below, he describes his life as a slave as “bearing his cross”.
"No," said Tom; "time was when I would; but the Lord's given me a work among these yer poor souls, and I'll stay with 'em and bear my cross with 'em till the end. It's different with you; it's a snare to you,--it's more'n you can stand,--and you'd better go, if you can." (1983: 427-428).
It is actually the second time Uncle Tom rejects an invitation to run away. These invitations show that it is actually possible for slaves to run away, yet Uncle Tom just do not want to join them.
2. Compassionate and Kind
and kind characteristic can be seen from what he says, what he does, and what the other characters say about him (1988: 229).
Firstly, Uncle Tom’s compassion and kindness can be seen from what he does to other slaves and his masters. For example, he helps, accompanies, and comforts a slave from a neighbouring plantation named Prue. Prue comes to sell hot rolls. She is drunk and says that she wants to die and leave life's misery. Tom helps her carry the rolls and talks to her about her problem. Prue tells him that her last child died because her milk dried up when she had to devote all her time to her mistress, and her owners refused to buy milk for the baby. Tom comforts her by saying, “O, Lord have mercy on ye! Poor crittur” (1988: 135). He then advises her to stop drinking, and assure her that God would give her the strength to carry on and to survive from her suffering. This action shows Uncle Tom’s feeling of pity for Prue’s suffering, as well as his friendly and thoughtful behavior to Prue.
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blood there is in him" (1983: 410). This action shows Uncle Tom’s feeling of pity for Cassy’s suffering, as well as his thoughtful behavior to Cassy.
Tom not only shows his compassion and kindness to fellow slaves, but also to his master. As the example, he accompanies and consoles his master named St. Claire when St. Claire is in troubled time after his beloved daughter’s death. Tom clasps "his master's hand between his own” as Eva, St. Claire’s daughter is dying. Later, St. Claire is deeply distracted over her death and tells Tom that without his daughter, he finds "the whole world is as empty as an eggshell" (1983: 328). By accompanying St. Claire and listening to him share his sorrow, Tom can console him. This action shows Uncle Tom’s pity for St. Claire’s sadness, as well as his thoughtful behavior to St. Claire.
As the last example, he helps and accompanies Eva, the daughter of his master, St. Claire. He saves Eva when she falls overboard from the ship he and Haley travel in, although at that time Uncle Tom is not St. Claire’s slave and has no obligation to help Eva. After he is purchased by St. Claire, Uncle Tom soon becomes the close friend of Eva. He loves Eva very much; his first priority is attending to her needs. Unfortunately, as she grows up, Eva becomes more sickly. In times when she is very ill, Uncle Tom carries Eva so that she can be comforted. He sings hymns, and sleeps on the veranda next to her room at night. This action shows Uncle Tom’s pity for Eva’s suffering, as well as his friendly and thoughtful behavior to Eva.
when he tells Legree that he would rather be killed than beat such a sick and feeble creature as Cassy, as shown in the quotation below.
"I think so, Mas'r," said Tom; "the poor crittur's sick and feeble; 't would be downright cruel, and it's what I never will do, nor begin to. Mas'r, if you mean to kill me, kill me; but, as to my raising my hand agin any one here, I never shall,--I'll die first!" (385).
As discussed above, Legree beats Tom cruelly after Tom helps Cassy and refuses to flog her. The next day, Legree intimidates and strikes Tom again. He forces Tom to apologize for protecting Cassy, but Tom explains that he could not beat Cassy and that he would never do any cruel thing (1983: 385).
"I believe you haven't got enough yet. Now, Tom, get right down on yer knees and beg my pardon, for yer shines last night."
"Mas'r Legree," said Tom, "I can't do it. I did only what I thought was right. I shall do just so again, if ever the time comes. I never will do a cruel thing, come what may” (1983: 385).
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"Tom, I don't believe,--I can't believe,--I've got the habit of doubting," said St. Clare. "I want to believe this Bible,--and I can't."
"Dear Mas'r, pray to the good Lord,--'Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief'" (1983: 325).
Lastly, Uncle Tom’s compassionate and kind characteristic can be seen from what the other characters say about him. For example, St. Claire realizes about Uncle Tom’s sincere love and care towards him although he is Tom’s master; then he makes simple statements about Uncle Tom, namely "Tom, you love me” and "I'm not worth the love of one good, honest heart, like yours” (1983: 250). These statements from St. Claire confirm Uncle Tom’s characteristic as a compassionate and kind man, which is indicated by St. Claire’s description of his “love” and “good, honest heart”.
"Tom, you love me," he said.
"I 's willin' to lay down my life, this blessed day, to see Mas'r a Christian." "Poor, foolish boy!" said St. Clare, half-raising himself. "I'm not worth the love of one good, honest heart, like yours." (1983: 250).
3. Faithful
Faithful means loyal to somebody or something, while faith means trust, strong belief, or unquestioning confidence (Hornby, 1989: 435). Thus, it can be concluded that faithful can mean the quality of being loyal to a person or to a strong belief. Uncle Tom is described as faithful, both to his God and his masters on Earth. Based on Barnet’s theory, Uncle Tom’s faithful characteristic can be seen from what he says, what he does, and what the other characters say about him (1983: 229).
He even teaches and leads others to worship God in his cabin. As a result, he is “looked up to” as “a Christian teacher” (1983: 105) as well as “a sort of minister” (1983: 32) by people around him, as described in the quotation below. He also reads the Bible everyday. Even on the ship, he spends his time rereading his favourite Bible passages for comfort among the cotton bales. Whenever he needs strength, consolation, or hope, he turns to it, as described in the quotation below. These actions of praying, worshipping, reading the Bible, and teaching about God show that Uncle Tom has loyalty and strong belief in God, thus showing his faith.
Uncle Tom was a sort of patriarch in religious matters in the neighbourhood. Having, naturally, an organisation in which the morale was strongly predominant, together with a grater breadth and cultivation of mind than obtained among his companions, he was looked up to with great respect, as a sort of minister among them; and the simple, hearty, sincere style of his exhortations, might have edified even better educated persons (1983: 32).
His Bible was thus marked through, from one end to the other, with a variety of styles and designations; so he could in a moment seize upon his favorite passages, without the labor of spelling out what lay between them; --and while it lay there before him, every passage breathing of some old home scene, and recalling some past enjoyment, his Bible seemed to him all of this life that remained, as well as the promise of a future one (1983: 154).
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and later beats him. Yet Tom holds on to God, which shows his strong loyalty and belief to God despite the hard condition, thus showing his faith.
“…Come, Tom, don't you think you'd better be reasonable?--heave that ar old pack of trash in the fire, and join my church!"
"The Lord forbid!" said Tom, fervently.
"You see the Lord an't going to help you; if he had been, he wouldn't have let me get you! This yer religion is all a mess of lying trumpery, Tom. I know all about it. Ye'd better hold to me; I'm somebody, and can do something!"
"No, Mas'r," said Tom; "I'll hold on. The Lord may help me, or not help; but I'll hold to him, and believe him to the last!" (1983: 405)
As the example of his faithfulness to his masters, he stays with and keeps loyal to his masters, from the good ones to the cruel ones. He does not run away when he has the chance. Mr. Shelby, Uncle Tom’s old master, must sell two of his slaves, Tom and Harry, Eliza’s son. Eliza tells Tom about it; both Eliza and Aunt Chloe, Tom’s wife, beg Tom to run away with Eliza, but he faithfully refuses to "break trust" with his master and resigns himself to his fate.
“No, no; I an’t going. Let Eliza go—it’s her right. I wouldn’t be the one to say no. ‘Tan’t in natur for her to stay; but you heard what she said! If I must be sold, or all the people on the place, and everything go to rack, why, let me be sold. I s’pose I can b’ar it as well as any of ‘em,” he added, while something like a sob and sigh shook his broad, rough chest convulsively. “Mas’r always found me on the spot—he always will. I never have broke trust, nor used my pass noways contrary to my word, and I never will. It’s better for me alone to go than to break up the place and sell all” (1983: 41).
thinks of escaping. Uncle Tom can even be faithful to his cruel master, Simon Legree. When Cassy, one of Legree’s slaves, tries to escape by drugging Legree and asks Tom to join her, he feels he must stay with the rest of the slaves and "bear any cross till the end." Tom refuses to escape from his brutal master because he does not want to be disloyal or false to any man.
"Misse Cassy," said Tom, in a hesitating tone, after surveying her in silence, "if ye only could get away from here,--if the thing was possible,--I'd 'vise ye and Emmeline to do it; that is, if ye could go without blood-guiltiness,--not otherwise."
"Would you try it with us, Father Tom?"
"No," said Tom; "time was when I would; but the Lord's given me a work among these yer poor souls, and I'll stay with 'em and bear my cross with 'em till the end" (1983: 427-428).
Uncle Tom does not even go when his master, St. Claire, releases him, as he wants to accompany St. Claire in his troubled time. St. Claire remembers his promise to his daughter, Eva, to let Uncle Tom walk away as a free person. Uncle Tom finally has the chance to legally gain his freedom, one of the basic human rights, but he refuses it because he does not want to leave St. Claire in his troubled and sorrowful condition. It is described in the following quotation: "Not while Mas'r is in trouble," said Tom. "I'll stay with Mas'r as long as he wants me,--so as I can be any use." (1983: 330). These actions show that Uncle Tom has loyalty to his masters, thus showing his faithfulness to them.
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if he tells Tom that he does not believe the Bible. Tom responds that it would not shake his faith, although St. Claire has more knowledge than him.
"But, Tom, you know that I have a great deal more knowledge than you; what if I should tell you that I don't believe this Bible?"
"O, Mas'r!" said Tom, holding up his hands, with a deprecating gesture. "Wouldn't it shake your faith some, Tom?"
"Not a grain," said Tom (1983: 325).
As already discussed above, Legree mocks Uncle Tom’s religion and forbids him from practising his religion. In response, Tom explains that he will always be a faithful servant to Legree, but he will also hold on his faith in God, as shown in his following speech.
"Mas'r Legree, as ye bought me, I'll be a true and faithful servant to ye. I'll give ye all the work of my hands, ll my time, all my strength; but my soul I won't give up to mortal man. I will hold on to the Lord, and put his commands before all, --die or live; you may be sure on 't. Mas'r Legree, I ain't a grain afeard to die. I'd as soon die as not. Ye may whip me, starve me, burn me,--it'll only send me sooner where I want to go." (1983: 410) When Legree still forces Tom to devote his soul to him only as his master and threatens to torture Tom in his rage, Tom responds by saying he “shall have help” and the Lord Almighty will help him (1983: 410). Tom’s statements show his loyalty and strong belief in God even though he has to face the sufferings if he continues to be loyal to God.
"How do you know there's any Christ, Tom! You never saw the Lord." "Felt Him in my soul, Mas'r,--feel Him now! O, Mas'r, when I was sold away from my old woman and the children, I was jest a'most broke up. I felt as if there warn't nothin' left; and then the good Lord, he stood by me, and he says, 'Fear not, Tom;' and he brings light and joy in a poor feller's soul,--makes all peace; and I 's so happy, and loves everybody, and feels willin' jest to be the Lord's, and have the Lord's will done, and be put jest where the Lord wants to put me. I know it couldn't come from me, cause I 's a poor, complainin' cretur; it comes from the Lord; and I know He's willin' to do for Mas'r." (1983: 325).
To Aunt Chloe and Cassy, his fellow slaves, Tom explains his belief that God does not forget them and always takes care of them. Chloe, Tom’s wife and a fellow slave named Eliza, asks him to leave when he is about to be sold to Haley. Tom decides to stay because he believes that he is in God’s hands. He surrenders everything to God. He tries to calm Chloe and says to her, “Yer ought ter look up to the Lord above; He’s above all—thar don’t a sparrow fall without Him.” (1853: 102). He also tells her to believe that God’s will and power is much bigger than theirs as human beings, and that God will lead them to their way out.
“I’m in the Lord’s hand,” said Tom; “nothin’ can go no furder than He lets it; and thar’s one thing I can thank Him for. It’s me that’s sold and going down, and not you nur the child’en. Here you’re safe; what comes will come only on me; and the Lord, He’ll help me—I know He will.” (1983: 101)
Meanwhile, Cassy is at first skeptical about God. She believes that God cannot save the blacks and does not care about them because God lets them suffer so much. Uncle Tom asks Cassy to read the Bible aloud, and she cries. Tom prays for her and says that God has not forgotten them. It is described in this quotation: "Missis," said Tom, after a while. “The Lord han't forgot us,--I'm sartin' o' that ar'”
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As the example of his faithfulness to his masters, Uncle Tom states that he will not escape or break his promise to his masters. When Haley comes to purchase Uncle Tom from Mr. Shelby’s plantation, Haley warns Tom against escaping. Tom replies by asking his master whether he has ever broken any promise or been disloyal to him. Mr. Shelby confirms that what Tom says is the truth; in other words, Tom truly has never broken any promise or been disloyal to him, as shown in the following quotation.
“Mas’r,” said Tom-and he stood very straight—“I was jist eight years old when ole missis put you into my arms, and wasn’t a year old. ‘Thar,’ says she, ’Tom, that’s to be your young mas’r; take good care on him,’ says she. And now I jist ask you, mas’r, have I ever broke word to you, or gone contrary to you, ‘specially since I was a Christian?”
Mr. Shelby was fairly overcome, and the tears rose to his eyes.
“My good boy,” said he, “the Lord knows you say but the truth; and if I was able to help it, all the world shouldn’t buy you.” (1853: 59)
Uncle Tom also shows his faithfulness to Legree by saying to him, “as ye bought me, I'll be a true and faithful servant to ye. I'll give ye all the work of my hands, all my time, all my strength” (1983: 410). Uncle Tom’s statements to Mr. Shelby and Legree show his loyalty to his masters, thus showing his faithfulness to them.
Thirdly, Uncle Tom’s faithful characteristic can be seen from what the other characters say about him, from an old black slave to Haley, a white slave-trader. As the example of Uncle Tom’s faithfulness to God, an old black slave is so touched with Uncle Tom’s prayers that he describes Uncle Tom as praying “right up”, which implies the old slave’s view that Uncle Tom is very close or loyal to God, and his prayers directly reach God in heaven.
into his being as to have become a part of himself, and to drop from his lips unconsciously; in the language of a pious old negro, he “prayed right up” (1853: 32).
Not only the old slave, but Haley also makes a statement that describes Uncle Tom’s faithfulness to God. When he sells Uncle Tom to St. Clare, he praises Tom by describing him as a humble, pious man, as shown in the quotation below.
“Wal, there might be something in that ar, if it warn’t for his character; but I can show recommends from his master and others, to prove he is one of your real pious—the most humble, prayin’, pious critter ye ever did see. Why, he’s been called a preacher in them parts he came from” (1852: 160).
As the example of Uncle Tom’s faithfulness to his masters, some slaves in Mr. Shelby’s plantation tell Mr. Shelby about their conversation with Tom. These men, whom Mr. Shelby describes as “low fellows”, report that they tempt Tom to escape to Canada with Mr. Shelby’s money, but Tom refuses their suggestion. Unknown to Tom, these men talk to Mr. Shelby about it, as shown in the quotation below.
Some low fellows, they say, said to him: ‘Tom, why don’t you make tracks for Canada?’ ‘Ah, master trusted me, and I couldn’t!’ They told me about it. I am sorry to par with Tom, I must say. You ought to let him cover the whole balance of the debt; and you would, Haley, if you had any conscience.” (1853: 2)
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4. Virtuous
Virtuous means having or showing moral goodness or excellence (Hornby, 1989: 1422). Uncle Tom is described as virtuous. Based on Barnet’s theory, Uncle Tom’s virtuous characteristic can be seen from what he does and what the other characters say about him (1988: 229).
Firstly, Uncle Tom’s virtuous characteristic can be seen from what he does. For example, he is always honest and works hard to fulfil his responsibility. Slaves are never paid for their work, so there is no incentive for them to work hard or to give their best. Yet whenever Uncle Tom is given the responsibility to run his master’s business, he does it with all his heart and strength. His old master, Mr. Shelby, entrusts him with many of the dealings of his house, even trusting him to take large sums of money on business trips. His next master, St. Claire, also employs him to help manage his plantation. Uncle Tom’s hard work, capability of managing things, and honesty make St. Clare trust him to run his business. Uncle Tom’s actions prove his virtue or moral excellence.
St. Clare at first employed him occasionally; but, struck with his soundness of mind and good business capacity, he confided in him more and more, till gradually all the marketing and providing for the family were entrusted to him (1853: 218).
described as a careless master who trusts him to an unlimited extent, who gives and receives money from him without counting it. For Uncle Tom, this could be the opportunity to take the money for himself without getting discovered, but he does not do that. This action shows his virtue or moral excellence.
Trusted to an unlimited extent by a careless master, who handed him a bill without looking at it, and pocketed the change without counting it, Tom had every facility and temptation to dishonesty; and nothing but an impregnable simplicity of nature, strengthened by Christian faith, could have kept him from it. But, to that nature, the very unbounded trust reposed in him was bond and seal for the most scrupulous accuracy (1853: 218).
Secondly, Uncle Tom’s virtuous characteristic can be seen from what the other characters say about him, including Mr. Shelby, St. Claire, and his daughter, Eva. For example, Mr. Shelby enthusiastically tells Haley about Uncle Tom’s moral quality such as honest, hardworking, and trustworthy. He describes Tom as “an uncommon fellow”, “steady, honest, capable”, “a good, steady, sensible, pious fellow”, “true and square in everything”, “the real article”, and many other flattering descriptions (1853: 2). Mr. Shelby also says he has developed a deep respect towards Uncle Tom unlike any other slave he has because of Uncle Tom’s moral quality (1983: 23). His statements prove Uncle Tom’s moral goodness or excellence.
“Why, the fact is, Haley, Tom is an uncommon fellow; he is certainly worth that sum anywhere,--steady, honest, capable, manages my whole farm like a clock.”
“You mean honest, as niggers go,” said Haley, helping himself to a glass of brandy.
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“Well, Tom’s got the real article, if ever a fellow had,” rejoined the other. “Why, last fall, I let him go to Cincinnati alone, to do business for me, and bring home five hundred dollars. ‘Tom,’ says I to him, ‘I trust you, because I think you’re a Christian—I know you wouldn’t cheat.’ Tom comes back sure enough—I knew he would. Some low fellows, they say, said to him: ‘Tom, why don’t you make tracks for Canada?’ ‘Ah, master trusted me, and I couldn’t!’ (1853: 2)
As another example, when St. Claire and Eva arrive at their plantation with Tom, they make him the head coachman. They describe him as a man who is good, honest, and can be trusted to be the head coachman. All these characters’ statements further demonstrate Uncle Tom’s virtue or moral excellence.
B. Christian Love and Christian Devotion reflected by Uncle Tom
1. Christian Love reflected by Uncle Tom
As discussed in the second chapter of this thesis, love is an important concept in Christianity, to be precise the kind of love called agape or Christian love. Uncle Tom reflects the values of Christian love, especially through his patient, compassionate and kind characteristics. This part is further divided into two sub-parts, which will discuss respectively how Christian love is reflected through Uncle Tom’s patient characteristic and how Christian love is reflected through Uncle Tom’s compassionate and kind characteristic. The discussion is based on the Bible, as the holy book of the Christians, supported by Bars and Kierkegaard’s theories of Christian love.
a. Christian Love reflected by Uncle Tom’s patient characteristic
points are God’s second commandment about love, love as the foundation of Christianity, and the characteristics of love.
The first point is related to God’s second commandment about love. In the Old Testament, God gives Ten Commandments to His believers, but in the New Testament after Jesus is born to save humans, the Ten Commandments are reduced into two commandments. These two commandments become the principal law or guideline for Christian life. As already discussed in the second chapter, Mark, one of Jesus’ disciples, writes about the second commandment as follows: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31). Matthew, another Jesus’ disciple, also writes about the second commandment in Matthew 5:44.
You have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thy enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you and insult you (1956: 5).
Although the verses in Mark 12:31 mentions “neighbour”, Kierkegaard argues that the word neighbour does not refer to its literal meaning; on the contrary, it refers to any human being (in Becker, 1992: 745). This view about loving all human beings indiscriminately is supported by Henry Bars’ argument that “what is really distinctive of Christianity is the injunction to love all men, including our enemies, in order to be perfect like our heavenly Father” (Bars, 1961: 109). It is clear that based on the Bible verses above, a Christian should love all human beings, regardless of whether they are good or evil.
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patience means that he can accept his master’s cruel treatment and even forgives the people who torture him. Of course, people tend to feel negative emotions such as anger, hate, and revenge when someone treats them cruelly. However, Tom realizes that his masters, the slave traders, and the henchmen who torture him are also human beings.
Based on Mark 12:31 which says “love thy neighbour as thyself”, God’s second commandment tells him to love all human beings, so Tom also loves them all just like he loves himself. For example, although Legree, his master, beats him up badly and shouts at him angrily, Tom still talks to him nicely. The quotation below shows that Tom responds to Legree’s threat to “take every drop of blood he has” by telling him
“I’d give ye my heart’s blood; and, if taking every drop of blood in this poor old body would save your precious soul, I’d give ’em freely, as the Lord gave his for me” (1983: 446).
Sambo and Quimbo, two black slaves who have special position as Legree’s henchmen, also beat up Uncle Tom based on Legree’s instruction. Sambo and Quimbo’s action can be considered heartless, because they have the heart to torture their fellow black man just to get better privilege from Legree, and they are not even Uncle Tom’s master. Yet Uncle Tom also respond to Sambo and Quimbo’s heartlessness with love, by showing his pity and his willingness to bring them to Christ’s salvation.
"Poor critters!" said Tom, "I'd be willing to bar' all I have, if it'll only bring ye to Christ!" (1983: 447).
Sambo, and Quimbo who have persecuted and insult him. Legree has mocked Tom and Tom’s religion badly, for instance by saying “Well, here’s a pious dog, at last, let down among us sinners! A saint, a gentleman, and no less, to talk to us about out sins; Powerful holy critter, he must be! Here, you rascal, you make believe to be so pious, didn’t you never hear, out of yer Bible, ‘Servants obey your masters?’” (1983: 385). Legree also tells Tom to leave his religion by saying “heave that ar old pack of trash in the fire” (1853: 420). However, Tom is not offended by all those taunts. Instead, he forgives and prays for his master.
Tom opened his eyes, and looked upon his master. "Ye poor miserable critter!" he said, "there an't no more ye can do! I forgive ye, with all my soul!" and he fainted entirely away. (1983: 446)
Uncle Tom a
